Guiding the Godkiller
by Starfire201
Summary: Following the battle on the beach, Antiope manages to survive, and convinces her sister to allow her to accompany Diana to fight Ares. But destiny is not so easily changed. Request fic
1. Prologue: Winds of Destiny

**A/N:** Back in March of this year, I was asked by manuelmusical14, who had read The Story Behind It, if I would be willing to write a story featuring the idea that Antiope survived the beach battle and accompanied Diana and Steve to find and stop Ares. At the time, I did find it intriguing, but decided that since I still had a pair of major projects going in another fandom, wanted to wait until I had finished the older of the two. After finishing at the end of July, I let the person know that I would be starting it up soon. And here it is now.

There will be scenes where dialogue will be the same as in the movie, but given the inclusion of Antiope, there will be some alterations as well.

That all said, I now introduce you to Guiding the Godkiller.

* * *

_"There are winds of destiny that blow when we least expect them. Sometimes they gust with the fury of a hurricane, sometimes they barely fan one's cheek. But the winds cannot be denied, bringing as they often do a future that is impossible to ignore."_ ― Nicholas Sparks, _Message in a Bottle_

_"You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know."_ —Antiope to Diana, _Wonder Woman_ movie

* * *

"You know what she is going to do."

Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons did not break her gaze from the window where she stood. "I know."

"And you are not going to stop her?" There was a slight trace of surprise in the other speaker's tone.

Not that the Themysciran Queen could blame her companion, given how hard she had fought against the idea of Diana being raised as a warrior.

Hippolyta gave a brief, sad smile, unseen by her sister behind her. "I know I cannot. When she has set her mind on something, she will find a way to do it, even if it breaks her heart. And she feels strongly the story of Ares."

"She has a strong sense of justice, Hippolyta. And faith in humanity."

"Perhaps a misguided one. Many centuries have passed in the world outside Themyscira, Antiope," Hippolyta replied, turning to face her companion for the first time since the conversation began. "Mankind has a whole has become more violent, if that mortal's story was any indication. Ares could not have been responsible for creating all of that. He might have planted the seeds of corruption, but humans were given the free will to make their own choices."

"Even so, such a weapon as the mortal described would be very much pleasing to Ares," Antiope replied. "And we both know he is indeed still out there."

_She will go, and I cannot stop her_, Queen Hippolyta thought wearily. She had long known this day could, nay, would come. Dreaded it, even, and had fought against it with every ounce of her soul. But the moment she had seen Diana release that blast of energy, she had no longer been able to deny that the time of her daughter's destiny was drawing inevitably closer.

And less than an hour later, that mortal called Steve Trevor had arrived, bringing chaos and death in his wake along with him.

Not to mention his story...

"I cannot stop Diana, but the rest of us cannot get involved in this now, Antiope," Queen Hippolyta said firmly. "We have experienced many losses today. And you nearly were killed as well. Epione said it was a miracle that you survived that projectile weapon. You should not even be out of the infirmary right now."

Antiope's fingers brushed her shoulder, where stitches lay underneath a cloth bandage. "It was worth it," she murmured. "There was more at stake than my own life, and what is mine when compared to Diana's own destiny?"

Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons made no reply, her features now grim. As much as she loved her daughter, there had been times when she had regretted going along with Zeus' plan, and more so as Diana had grown up, knowing the burden she would one day have to carry.

But never had she felt it weigh her down so heavily before today, when that future had finally come.

Not that she regretted having Diana, not for a moment. It was the reasons for it that she wished hadn't been necessary.

It would be hard to let her go, Hippolyta knew. Unfortunately, there was no other choice now.

"You do not want her to go," Antiope began carefully.

Hippolyta turned back to the window. "As you said, it is not about what I want, Antiope. I will let her go, with my blessing." But she would grieve her daughter's absence for the rest of her life, she knew. And the remaining Amazons would miss their spirited princess, even if they understood the reasons for her going and would hope she succeeded in her mission.

The threat of Ares was far too great for any of them to ignore, after all. And of the Amazons, only Diana had the ability to defeat Ares.

"She does not have to go alone," Antiope replied.

The Amazonian Queen turned her head, and raised an eyebrow. "She will have that mortal with her, Antiope. She will not be alone."

Antiope shook her head. "You know what I am asking."

Once more, Hippolyta's mouth became a thin line, but this time her brow creased with worry. "I do, and I wish you were not asking that of me."

"Diana may be going with that man, Steve Trevor, but she knows nothing of how to read a person's features. Or listen for what is not said. We have had experience with man's world, Hippolyta."

"Not in millennia, Antiope. The mortal world has changed in leaps and bounds while we have been isolated. The weaponry and transport they used speaks to that. What we knew then is no longer the case," Hippolyta replied.

"I doubt mortals have changed so much that I will be unable to read a situation, sister," Antiope said with a wry smile.

"What about Menalippe?"

A flicker of guilt flashed through Antiope's eyes. "She will understand."

Hippolyta gazed at her sister, her sister who had barely survived this day when others of her comrades had not. The sister who had fought by her side against Ares the first time, who had assisted in delivering Diana, who had _trained_ Diana against her wishes...

That sister was standing in front of her, features filled with that old determination that Hippolyta had come to know so well.

In the depths of her heart, Hippolyta wouldn't deny that she wished she could accompany her daughter, and a part of her screamed at losing both her daughter and sister to unknown fates.

But in the end, she was a queen, and a queen needed to put her people before herself.

She bowed to the inevitable.

"Very well," Hippolyta stated as the sound of running footsteps began to be heard approaching the room. It seemed Diana had made her move. And now it was time for her mother to do the same. "You may go. But I want you to promise me that you will protect Diana."

Antiope nodded. "Of course, Hippolyta," she replied as the footsteps grew closer. "She is my niece, after all."

She raised a hand to her heart.

"I will protect her...

"With my life."


	2. The Journey Begins

**A/N: **Just to remind my readers, much of the dialogue from this point forward is going to be pulled from the movie novelization and movie itself. Antiope's will be original, but the rest will be much the same with the necessary edits.

For reference,** Helias** is the ancient name for Greece, which is what the Amazons would have referred to the country as before their isolation. It started being referred to as Greece (specifically from the Latin word _Graecia_) during the time of the Roman Empire.

* * *

_"Themyscira was gone. Let it be so, then."_ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman_ movie novelization

* * *

"How long until we reach the war?"

Antiope raised an eyebrow at that. While she was a seasoned warrior, Diana had never seen the heat of battle before yesterday, had never known what true fighting was, or the cost of it. But even with that, she had a strong sense of justice and a fervor to fight for those her father had created and loved.

_Like father, like daughter_, she thought wryly.

Still, she had been born after the dark times, where the Amazons had been imprisoned and enslaved; when Ares had first started spreading his poison of lies and greed. Diana had no idea of the depths of darkness that mankind was capable of choosing to commit once they'd set their minds to it.

As grateful as Antiope had been that she and her sisters had been protected from the world of mortals and their cruelties, she couldn't help but wonder if Diana's lack of experience had caused her to create a rosier view than the reality.

In any case, it was a lesson that Antiope could not teach her. She could teach Diana how to fight, and had created a powerful weapon indeed, but there were some things that only life and experience could show a person.

Antiope fixed her gaze on the man, Steve Trevor, who seemed quite puzzled by the question. But to do him credit, he did his best to answer her niece.

"The war? Which part? The Eastern Front is in France, about four hundred miles long, stretching from the Alps to the Atlantic," the mortal replied.

Diana seemed to hesitate briefly as she considered the question, but Antiope took the opportunity to step in. "I would ask for more clarification. Prior to our arrival at Themyscira, I and my sisters hailed from a region known to us as Helias. Seeing as you do not recognize the name," she continued, seeing the look of puzzlement on Steve Trevor's face, "I would assume the name of the region has changed since then."

"I haven't heard of it, no," Steve Trevor admitted.

Antiope smiled wryly once more. "Then do bear in mind that we may have no knowledge of the land of which you speak," she stated. "We have not set foot outside of Themyscira in thousands of your years, and while you may recognize a country's name, _we_ would not."

Steve Trevor seemed to turn slightly red, but he just bowed his head once. "Sorry," he mumbled. "This is just so...overwhelming."

Antiope gave her own nod. "I understand," she returned easily. As much as she had no high opinion of men in general, she'd met a few in her time who'd been exceptions to that rule. Perhaps this Steve Trevor would be one of them.

The man in question frowned. "Themyscira...That sounds Greek," he said slowly. "While I may not have heard of _Helias,_ I have heard of a country called Greece, and if that's where you came from, then France is a country that borders what I would call the Mediterranean Sea, which has a shoreline with Greece."

Antiope frowned in thought. It did make sense when one considered it carefully. She had been in ships before, so it was possible that she had seen the country he called "France" without knowing it for what it was. Times had indeed changed, she reflected.

Whether for the better or the worse remained to be seen.

Steve Trevor by this time had turned his attention back to Diana, who had by now come up with an answer.. "Where the fighting is the hardest," she said. "If I go there, I'll be sure to find Ares."

Once more, the mortal looked confused. "Ares? As in the God of War?"

Diana nodded firmly. "He is our responsibility. Only the Amazons can defeat him. With this." She pulled out the sword she'd taken from its resting place. "And once i do, the war will end."

_Oh, DIana, it will not be that simple_, Antiope thought sadly. Not for the first time, she wished she could tell her niece the truth, but even she had to admit she shared Hippolyta's trepidation in that regard. As much as she was willing to defy Hippolyta's interdict about training Diana and hadn't overly liked that she'd had to keep the truth a secret, even she couldn't deny that to speak the truth would be to confirm for Ares that there was a weapon out there that could defeat him. He would know, he would feel that power rising and come looking for it.

And that could have spelled death for every Amazon on Themyscira, as well as Diana's.

However, the time for secrecy was running out; Antiope could feel it in her very bones. It was no longer a matter of _if_ Ares found out, it was now a matter of _when_ he would.

Once more, she tuned back in to the conversation. Steve Trevor now seemed hesitant and his next words indicated to Antiope that he didn't quite believe that a single being could be behind all of this.

"Look," he said, glancing between the sword and her niece, "I appreciate your enthusiasm. but this war's a great big mess and there's not a lot we can do about it. But we can try to get to the men who can."

Antiope held back a snort with great effort. It was men who'd started this war in the first place. Not to mention she could recall all too well how governors of a land were willing to do little unless it affected them.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern when her niece replied to the mortal that she was the one who could. It struck Antiope as arrogant, the words of a green warrior who had never truly seen war. Certainly, Diana had been involved in what could be at best called a skirmish, but even with the fatalities that skirmish had engendered, she had never truly seen war. Antiope had. Not only had the Amazons fought Ares' forces, but long before that, they had fought a great battle with allied armies against an enemy from the stars. Many good warriors had fallen during that battle, she remembered.

She decided to step in. "Diana, your enthusiasm to face Ares does you credit," she began sternly. "But no warrior fights truly alone. Nor should they assume that they alone will be enough to turn the tide. You remember the stories your mother told you regarding the battles we fought, I hope?"

Diana nodded. "I do," she replied.

"Then keep this in mind, Diana," Antiope continued sternly. "You know nothing of this situation that we have been told exists. We only know that there is a war and that it involves many countries. You have no idea of who is in command of them or where precisely they are located. Nor do you know the form Ares has taken, should he indeed be involved."

"Steve knows," Diana said stubbornly.

"Only a small portion of information," Antiope returned firmly. "Spies and scouts are often not privy to the decisions made by their commanders. It is for them to give the parts of the picture to the generals in charge of the whole. He can't know all of what is going on."

There was still a stubborn set to Diana's features, Antiope noticed, but she didn't argue further. The Amazonian general hoped she had managed to get her niece to think a little more calmly about the situation.

As for the mortal, he shot Antiope what seemed to her to be a relieved look, but said nothing in response to her words.

For the next several minutes, they traveled in silence, then Steve moved over to where some cloth bundles were and started to spread them out. Antiope, guessing what he was doing, didn't interrupt him.

Diana, having no experience with such matters, was curious. "What are you doing?"

Steve glanced over at her. "I thought you and your aunt could use some sleep."

"Indeed," Antiope said with a nod. "We have a heavy task ahead of us and it would be wise to be well-rested before it."

"But does he not need sleep?" Diana asked.

"I'm sure he does," Antiope replied. "But I suspect he is trying to protect your virtue, Diana," she said wryly, having noted the mortal tense up and behaving in a flustered manner. She looked at Steve Trevor. "Forgive my niece, Captain Trevor," she said. "She is not used to the attentions of a man, innocent in nature or otherwise."

"I'm getting that picture," he said, and Antiope could just _hear_ the nervousness bleeding through his voice.

"Protect my virtue?" Diana asked. "Are you referring to the pleasures of the flesh?"

Antiope could swear the mortal was turning red. She chuckled, deciding this time to watch the scene play out in front of her.

"Something like that," Captain Trevor replied, looking everywhere but at her niece. "You see, where I come from, men and women aren't supposed to sleep together outside of the confines of marriage."

Antiope nodded. Not that it had stopped such things from happening before, but many cultures in her day found marriage ceremonies to be preferable. However, seeing as they had had no ties to man's world in thousands of their years, they hadn't bothered to explain the practice to Diana, feeling it would never be necessary.

Which she demonstrated quite clearly with her next question. "Marriage?" she asked.

Captain Trevor blinked. "You don't know what that...? Yeah," he said, then rubbed at his eyes, considering. "You go before a judge or a religious figure and swear to love, honor and cherish each other until death do you part."

He moved over to a sack near the other end of the boat and once more tried not to look at her niece, who seemed completely puzzled by the whole idea. "Do they?" she asked. "Do they love each other until death?"

"Not very often," he admitted. By this point, Steve Trevor looked as though he wished he could just vanish into thin air. In spite of herself, Antiope felt a measure of pity for the man. He had no idea what he'd gotten himself involved with, however inadvertently.

She decided to step in now. "Diana," she said calmly but firmly. "We still have a long way to travel. Questions about the world of Man and how it works can wait until we have all had a chance to rest. It has been a long, eventful day."

As expected, Diana started to protest, "Antiope, there is much we need to know. Ares..."

"I am aware, Diana," the Amazonian general cut her off. "But a good warrior knows when to take the opportunity to rest. Such as when they are preparing for a harsh battle ahead," she finished sternly. "And when they are healing from an injury."

There was a part of her that felt guilty over using such manipulation, but long experience had taught her that there were times when it was necessary, such as now. A guilty look passed briefly over Diana's face. "I understand, Antiope."

Antiope nodded in acknowledgement of Diana's words. The mortal, meanwhile, shot her a look that seemed full of mixed emotions, relief being one of them. She gave a slight smile in his direction in acknowledgement of his action.

As Diana settled herself under a blanket, Antiope spoke to the Captain. "I will take first watch," she stated in a tone that brooked no argument.

Steve Trevor smiled wryly. "Who am I to ignore an order from a superior officer?" he said.

Antiope felt another flicker of amusement in spite of herself. She suspected this was his way of thanking her for helping him out of an awkward situation. "Wise mortal," she replied. Glancing over at Diana, she went on in a lower voice, "For your information, my niece does have book knowledge of the physical act, but no experience. Even before we went to Themyscira, such things were considered best kept private between a couple, something I assume is still the case now, judging from your reaction. And as princess, she was kept sheltered, for many reasons. I assure you she is not knowingly trying to embarrass you."

Steve Trevor nodded. The embarrassment still appeared to be there, but had lessened somewhat in the face of Antiope's explanation. "Got it. That explains a lot," he said, nodding his head quickly.

"I'm sure you have questions of your own, but first, get some rest," she commanded. "I will wake you in a few hours and take my turn for sleep."

"You sure?" he asked carefully.

"I am sure," she replied firmly.

"All right, then," the Captain said, and proceeded to settle himself down into the blankets.

Just as he seemed to be getting comfortable, Antiope smirked. "Just one more thing, Captain Trevor. If you hurt her, you won't see me coming."

The sputtering that followed brought a grin to Antiope's face as she leaned back and gazed up at the stars. _"Now the die is cast. We are coming for you, Ares. As Zeus himself wished."_

* * *

In London, a man with glowing red eyes stood gazing out of the building where he lived in his mortal guise. A cold smirk appeared on his face. "So the Godkiller is coming.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

**A/N2:** The battle against the enemy from the stars that Antiope is remembering in her thoughts is referenced in the Justice League movie.


	3. London: Arrival

A/N: Have another quick update. Gotten a little sidetracked, but will be continuing this soon.

_"Welcome to jolly ol' London," he (Steve Trevor) said._ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman_ movie novelization

* * *

_She is running towards a strange looking craft, with long appendages on either side and a blade on the front, four men by her side, all holding the same device that held the projectile weapons on Themyscira. Flaming buildings surrounded them all. She was wearing a dark coat and skirt, wearing a sword on her back. The men were all wearing what seemed to be uniforms. One of them was the mortal called Steve Trevor. As they close in on the craft, he calls out..._

_"Failure is not an option! We need to stop that plane from taking off!"_

* * *

Antiope jolted awake.

_Great Hera, what was that?_

"Antiope, are you all right?"

The Amazonian general turned her head towards the sound of the of the voice to see Diana looking at her with an expression of concern. Captain Trevor bore a very similar expression.

As shaken by the dream as she had been, Antiope knew she couldn't allow herself to show any weakness, not now.

There was too much at stake for that.

"I am well," she replied. "It was only a dream, Diana."

Diana seemed to accept that, but the mortal's expression appeared to be more skeptical. "You sure?" he asked. "That seemed to be more like a nightmare, judging by the sounds you were making."

Antiope's features hardened. "I am sure," she stated firmly, and changed the subject. "Have we made it to our destination yet?"

"We're close," the man stated, not looking as though he believed her words, but had chosen to respect her wish to not speak of it further. "You remember that large ship that picked us up yesterday?"

Antiope nodded. They had been sailing for a day and a half when a vessel that Captain Trevor referred to as a pre-dreadnought had picked them up. It was heading for a land that they referred to as England. It had been nearly a full day since then. The mortal had managed to get something he called rations from the crew. Her share hadn't tasted pleasant, but Antiope had eaten far worse, and in any case, this would help her get some of her strength back. Diana had not been sure she wanted to eat it until Antiope had told her that it wasn't certain when they would reach land and that they would be needing to keep up their strength until then. Further, she pointed out, it was against the laws of hospitality to refuse food that had been offered to them by those who were currently their hosts. Diana had relented after that.

Antiope had allowed herself to doze off soon afterwards, following a promise from Captain Trevor that he would keep watch until they arrived. And judging from the phrasing, it seemed as though they may finally be close.

"I remember," she said now. "Go on."

"We were transferred over to a smaller vessel we call a tugboat. It pulls in those ships that need assistance. We're still attached to them and should be reaching a docking area in the next few minutes," he replied.

"Antiope, it looks awful. Nothing like Themyscira," Diana said.

The Amazonian general flickered her gaze along the edges of the shoreline of the narrow body of water they were traveling down. It didn't take her long to spot the reason why Diana seemed so appalled by the sight.

She could say honestly she'd never seen anything like it. The sky above, which had been blue the previous day, had become covered in clouds as gray as iron. Dark smoke, darker than any she'd ever seen, issued from other ships and boats that they passed. There were buildings crowding the edges of either side of the waterfront, with people moving to and fro. The air and water smelled as rank as a Parademon. Worse, in fact.

_What has man done to this world since our seclusion? _ she thought grimly.

All told, Antiope could not find it in her to be the slightest bit impressed by what she saw.

Still, it would be best to be diplomatic. They were guests in the country he served, after all.

"So this is the settlement you call London," she said dryly, looking back at Steve Trevor. "How...quaint."

Diana seemed to agree, judging by her expression. "It's hideous," she said.

To do him some credit, even Captain Trevor didn't try to pretend that it looked wonderful. "Yeah, well...," he said, with a flustered expression on his face, "It's not for everyone."

"I would agree," Antiope agreed. Her gaze caught on some taller buildings in the distance. While she didn't think much of the sight of this settlement, she could remember the architecture of Helias before they'd gone to Themyscira. What she saw didn't match it, to be sure, but the building shaped close to an obelisk with what Antiope would guess was some kind of time-keeping device like the watch he was wearing struck her as an ambitious creation. Rather like the Ancient races of her time.

In any case, Antiope knew, she would have to get used to living in such a world. Themyscira had been hidden for a reason, and they would never be able to go back. She turned attention back to Captain Trevor. "You were on a mission, you said. I assume you must report to your superior officers about the results?"

"Antiope, we need to find Ares. Captain Trevor promised us he would take us to the war to find him," Diana protested.

The Amazonian general looked at her niece sternly as she raised an eyebrow. "And I'm sure he will be willing to assist us in finding a way there," she replied. "But this is also important. You do remember what I said about spies and scouts needing to provide information to their generals so that a proper strategy can be formed, I trust?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, Antiope."

"Steve Trevor was sent on a mission by his superior officers. He needs to complete this mission before embarking on another. Or gaining permission to embark on another, at any rate," Antiope finished. "Again, your enthusiasm does you credit, but we need to move carefully on this. Should Ares indeed be alive, he has had thousands of years to learn to blend in. We are in his world now, and need to proceed with as much caution and preparation as we can. It would not do to lose our guide because his superiors decided to punish him for failure to report."

Steve Trevor gave a brisk nod in Antiope's direction, a slight smile on his face. "Thank you," he said. Turning his attention to Diana, he went on, "As your aunt says, I really do need to get this information to those who can do something about it. But first, we're going to stop to get you both something different to wear."

"What is wrong with what we are wearing?" Diana asked curiously.

"Well, to start, no one has worn outfits like yours in quite a few centuries," he said carefully. "You'll both attract unnecessary attention, particularly if you do need to blend in like your aunt says."

Antiope considered that briefly. As much as she loathed the idea of wearing something besides her battle armor, she could see the wisdom in concealing their identities as much as possible. "I trust you know someone who can assist with that?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'll call her when we get to shore," Captain Trevor replied. Looking over Antiope's head, he went on, "And judging by the look of it, it won't be much longer."

Antiope looked behind her and saw that they'd finally come up close to an empty dock. "Indeed," she replied.

She pulled on her cloak and watched Diana do the same. Before long, they'd reached the dock and Captain Trevor spoke to a man who'd approached as he saw their boat coming in, a very bemused expression on his face. Within a few minutes, the boat was tied up and they stepped onto the dock.

As they walked through what seemed to be a shipyard, Antiope couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy. They were in an unfamiliar world with no idea of what lay ahead.

Still, she'd never run from a battle before and she wasn't going to start now. She pursed her mouth into a thin line.

_Let the battle be joined, whatever the outcome may prove to be._

* * *

Diana gazed around as her small group made their way through London.

In many ways, she was having a hard time understanding what she was seeing. All the stories she'd ever heard about humanity had suggested a far simpler lifestyle; a less built-up civilization. Reconciling what she had heard in those old tales with what she was seeing in front of her-trash lining the streets, people rushing here and there, the heavy crowds, the grayness of the buildings and the sky above-was proving very impossible.

Part of her knew her aunt was correct, that Ares couldn't be responsible for all of this, but it made her wonder just what had happened that humanity had left behind the simpler life for something like this.

In some ways it seemed so bleak, and yet Diana couldn't help but feel a small sense of awe. No Amazons besides herself and Antiope would ever see what the world of men had become. As much as there was a part of her that felt shocked by what she was witnessing, she couldn't help but be amazed at the same time by how the world had developed.

She couldn't wait to explore this world. Once Ares had been dealt with, that is.

Diana heard Antiope chuckle behind her. "It is quite a spectacle, this 'London', isn't it?" her aunt asked.

She nodded. "It is," she murmured. "But we really should be going to deal with Ares."

"Patience, Diana," Antiope said softly. "We will get our chance."

Something seemed off about her aunt's tone, but before she could comment on it, the sight of a woman carrying a small bundle, and started towards them. "It's a baby," she cried.

Steve Trevor groaned and started after her, managing to grab her before she could reach the small family. "No babies, Diana," he said as he managed to pull her away. "Please, let's just get moving."

Diana felt a stab of disappointment, but quietly conceded as she let herself be led away. There would always be another time, she decided. Besides, the mission was more important.

"Antiope," Steve Trevor called as he glanced behind them towards her aunt, who seemed to have paused while he was trying to stop her. He frowned as he saw the tension on her features, as did Diana. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

The Amazonian general just turned her head back to face them and said grimly, "We should keep going. I believe you said something about getting us garb to blend in?"

Diana frowned, as did Steve Trevor, but before either could say anything, her aunt started forward, forcing them both to start moving again.

Diana glanced quickly behind her as they headed back into the crowds, but couldn't locate what had made her aunt react in the manner she just had.

_Strange_, Diana thought, as she turned back to observe the strange new world she was in.

_What was that all about?_

* * *

They were being followed; of that, Antiope was certain.

She had first started getting the impression of being watched very shortly after they'd left the shipyard. She'd initially put it down to someone being startled by the sight of two women wearing cloaks, something she'd noticed a lack of on other women they'd seen so far.

But then, her warrior instincts had started screaming at her in a way she couldn't ignore. Not wanting to alert either her niece or Captain Trevor prematurely, she put on the air of one taking a casual glance around.

It hadn't been long before she noticed the first man behind them. He was dressed in what seemed to be a nondescript manner, but when they paused for the first time, so had he.

Once she'd located him, it hadn't been too hard to pick up the other two men who seemed to be hovering close as well. She'd done her best to keep up the appearance that everything was all right, but it seemed Diana had caught something. Plus, it seemed Captain Trevor had picked up on the odd behavior as well.

The men had to be here for him, she suspected. After all, he'd been chased onto Themyscira by other soldiers with the intent to kill him and retrieve the information he had stolen.

But how his enemies had tracked him down was a mystery. For all they could have known, their men as well as he had met with some misadventure at sea. Antiope knew how such things could happen. Ships had been known to founder even in clear weather, though that was usually the fault of shoddy workmanship. There was no way they could have known for sure that Captain Trevor had survived.

And yet, his enemies had seemingly been laying in wait here; waiting for him, apparently. Whether a lucky guess or his pursuers had somehow gotten a message back to their chief vessel was anyone's guess.

In any case, the Amazonian general suspected that the only reason these men hadn't attacked so far was because of the crowd. While they might not care about collateral damage, given what their compatriots had done to some of her sisters in their attempt to kill Captain Trevor, she couldn't imagine that their superiors would be pleased that they'd drawn attention to themselves.

No, she decided, as she caught the sense of two more men arriving in the group. They would be careful about when they attacked. They would pick their time, likely when the crowds thinned.

Until then, it would be best to pretend she hadn't seen anything. She would move once they struck. Diana, she was sure, would also react when the proper time came.

Antiope smirked.

_Let the battle be joined indeed._


	4. London: Trouble Begins

_"An effective way to blend in she (Diana/Wonder Woman) supposed. One must do what one must do."_ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman_movie novelization

* * *

"What is this place?" Diana asked as she looked up at the building they'd stopped in front of, One that had a very opulent looking display inside, she thought. It was called Selfridge's, according to the sign above the door.

Antiope, however, just raised an eyebrow as she glanced in a window. "I believe this is where Captain Trevor has brought us to get some clothing to blend in, DIana." She looked at the man. "I must say, though, I would have thought you'd be taking us to a less noticeable place."

Steve Trevor looked uncomfortable. "I thought about that. But decided that it would be better to be in a more public area at the moment."

Diana just blinked, puzzled. Antiope's expression, however, stiffened. "I see," her aunt replied coolly. "In that case, let us get started. Are we meeting with someone here? I saw you talking into that strange device in the glass pillar."

"It's a communication device called a telephone," Steve replied. "And yes, I did. She should be inside and will help you pick something out that will be a bit less eye-catching than those...uniforms you're wearing."

"Then we should not keep her waiting. Come along, Diana," Antiope said as she stepped into the large, brightly lit building.

As they walked through the store, Diana couldn't help but stare. Themyscira had a market place, but nothing like this. She found herself wondering what the purpose of some of these items were. The odd device that looked like a very small pair of telescopes made no sense to her, anymore than these brilliant lights above did. She was sure they had some kind of use to the humans if they created them, but for the life of her, Diana couldn't figure out what.

"Diana, you are attracting attention," her aunt stated in a low voice. "We must keep as low a profile as we can for now."

"But Antiope," Diana whispered back, "I've never seen anything like these objects before. What do you suppose...?"

"You can find out once the battle we are about to fight is over, Diana. There will be plenty of time afterwards, after all," Antiope replied severely, her voice still pitched low.

Diana flinched at the reminder that she was forever barred from Themyscira now. Even though she had accepted that it was necessary, it would take some time for her to accept that loss, she knew. "I understand," she whispered.

Her aunt just nodded, and no more was said as they approached a part of the building that seemed to be full of odd looking clothing that matched what she had seen the women on the street wearing. In the front of that section stood a woman with reddish hair wearing a gray hat with flowers on it. She was wearing what seemed to be a cloak with sleeves with a longer skirt than Diana was used to seeing, along with boots. She was shorter than Diana and seemed slightly plump, she thought.

As the woman caught sight of them, she called out, "Thank God you're not dead!"

Diana and Antiope both glanced at Steve Trevor as she approached, Diana confused and Antiope slightly amused. The elder Amazon asked wryly, "I assume the misadventure that landed you on our island is not a one-time event, then?" .

As the woman approached, she said in a scolding tone, "It certainly isn't. But this time, I really did think he was dead. Not a call for weeks! Totally unlike him not to try and get in contact during a mission. I hope there wasn't too much trouble getting him back here."

Antiope just smiled pleasantly (at least it would have seemed that way to those who didn't know her, Diana thought) and replied in a slightly blander voice, "Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Good," the woman said with a nod. "And let me introduce myself. I'm Etta Candy, Captain Trevor's secretary."

Diana felt very puzzled. "What's a secretary?"

Before Etta Candy could reply, Antiope stepped in. "Before you answer, you should be aware that my niece and I come from a part of the world that is...very different from how things are here."

Diana felt a brief twinge of annoyance, which was quickly extinguished as she remembered once more that Antiope had once lived in man's world. Of course she would realize that their different behavior would need clarification.

"Ah," Etta replied, with a shrug, seemingly accepting the explanation she was given for the odd question. "Well, I do everything. I go where he tells me to go, and do what he tells me to do."

Diana felt disgusted. "Where we're from, that's called slavery."

Etta just blinked, then looked back at Captain Trevor. "Ooh, I like really like her. I do, I like her."

Antiope smirked, then stated, "I am called Antiope, and this is my niece, Diana. It is good to meet you."

"Ladies," Steve spoke up now, sounding a mixture of tired and exasperated. "Etta, I apologize, but we need to get moving soon."

Etta nodded towards Steve as she spoke to Antiope, "It's good to meet you too. Thank you for keeping him alive," she said breathlessly.

She eyed the two other women. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. This way, please."

She led them through one of the brightest rooms Diana had ever seen. Scents floated around the room heavily, and there were more mirrors in this place than Diana had ever seen before in her life. Certainly the palace had mirrors, but not so many. She found herself wondering what the purpose of all of them was.

Her aunt seemed to be taking all these strange things surprisingly well, Diana noticed, after glancing over in Antiope's direction. Her features were calm, with an air of determination. She was focused, the Amazonian princess realized. She decided to do the same thing, stopping in front of a mannequin. It had a piece of tight fabric stretching from chest to mid-thigh.

"Is this what passes for armor in your country?" she asked.

Before Etta could reply, Antiope did. "Such pieces of clothing existed among noblewomen at one time, Diana. It was to make them look thinner. It is not armor." Once more, she sounded quite amused by her niece.

The Amazonian general then turned to Etta. "Is there an area where we can change in private?" she asked. "Speaking of armor, some of the clothes we are wearing under these cloaks is likely to attract attention that we don't need right now."

"There is," Etta confirmed. "But first, we should pick out some outfits before heading over there."

"Of course," Antiope agreed. After looking around briefly, she continued, "I have an idea of what I should wear, judging by what I am seeing here. Diana is likely to need your assistance more than I will. She has never had to blend into another environment before."

"Antiope!" Diana felt more than just a little embarrassed by her mentor's words.

"Diana," her aunt replied as she raised an eyebrow. "You're drawing more unnecessary attention towards us with your behavior than I am. Need I remind you that there will be time enough to ask questions once we're done?"

"No, Antiope."

"Good." Antiope replied. Looking back at Etta, she said, "Shall we get started, then?"

* * *

As Antiope thought, it hadn't taken her long to find a proper outfit.

She was now wearing a deep navy skirt and gray blouse that matched the boots she was wearing. Further, it fit comfortably over her armor, concealing it from anyone who glanced her way. A dark gray fedora hat covered the crown she skirt did constrict her freedom of movement slightly, but it could not be helped, Antiope thought.

Glancing in the mirror of what Etta referred to as a dressing room, Antiope frowned as she realized this outfit matched the one she had seen in her dream earlier, minus the hat. And she hadn't been wearing her crown in the dream either.

The people of Helias put great stock in dreams, Antiope remembered. Many believed they could foretell the future. She herself had never truly believed in that notion...And yet she had unconsciously chosen the set of clothes that her dream had shown to her. Oh, yes, she was still wearing her crown, but still...

Antiope shook her head. No, she was just being foolish. Menalippe would be amused if she could know that Antiope was finding herself worried by a dream.

It was just a dream, she told herself once more as she stepped out of the dressing room. Nothing more.

"Oh, you're done," Etta said. "That didn't take you too long."

"I knew what to look for," Antiope replied. Noticing that the other woman's expression seemed exhausted, with a tinge of exasperation mixed in, she continued, "I assume Diana hasn't chosen anything yet?"

Etta motioned to a rack filled with clothing. "She's on outfit twenty-five right now."

Antiope heaved out a sigh. She could remember well how Diana could make things difficult as a child for her tutors. _Some things never do change_, she thought wryly.

Since they had to wait, however, a diversion might prove to be a welcome distraction for the woman, whose patience Antiope couldn't help but be mildly impressed by. When it came to dealing with Diana, it was a very necessary trait to possess.

"Might I ask where Captain Trevor has disappeared to?"

Etta chuckled. "He went to get himself a change of clothes of his own. Didn't want to go in front of his superiors looking like he'd just crawled out of the trenches."

Antiope frowned at the term "trenches", one she'd never heard of before when it came to warfare. "I see," she replied. After considering for a moment, she asked. "I am aware that the question I have may sound odd, but I ask you bear with me. Seeing as Diana and are from a place one could call...isolated, I don't suppose you could explain what you mean by trenches, could you?"

Etta just blinked; the look on her face could be best described as shock, Antiope decided. However, she did recover quickly enough, and the next minute or two was filled with muttered unflattering comments about Captain Trevor and his propensity for never telling her anything.

When the other woman had finally finished, she did prove to be forthcoming about what she meant by the word "trenches". It seemed that at the beginning of this war, four years earlier, both sides had dug trenches to fight from. They were considered a defensive mechanism of sorts, and stretched hundreds of miles long on both sides. To climb out of those trenches made one a target, as the land between, referred to as "No Man's Land"and was a death trap in more ways than one. Distance between the trenches varied, depending on the location. However, it seemed to have proven too strong a defense on both sides, as there had been almost no ground gained during the time they'd been in existence.

Antiope hadn't been expecting Etta to have as much information as she did, but was grateful for it regardless, as it gave her more of an idea what to expect when they headed for the battlefield.

Even so, the weapons that Etta described sounded eerily similar to the projectile weapons those other soldiers ("Germans", Etta called them) used, only they discharged much faster. It sounded like as destructive a weapon as Ares could ever hope for.

All of this certainly made the situation more challenging, to be sure, but Antiope was never one to back down from a challenge.

Even if it killed her, she would help her niece reach her destiny.

Thanking Etta, she turned her attention back to the dressing room, only to notice that Diana had tried on and discarded at least five more outfits over the duration of the conversation.

"Diana! Do pick something out please," Antiope called, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Captain Trever would like to speak to his superiors sometime today, and he can't if you keep finding fault with whatever you try on."

"Not to mention that if she damages another outfit like she did the first one, it'll wipe out all of Steve's savings," Etta muttered. "How is it that you picked out something so quickly and she can't?"

"Her lack of worldly experience, I would guess," Antiope replied dryly. Not that she had had much of that for many centuries, but she at least _had_ had some, unlike her niece..

Etta grimaced, but before she could reply, Diana stepped out of the dressing room wearing an outfit very similar to the older woman's. It wasn't unflattering, Antiope believed, but Diana didn't seem to agree judging by the way she was yanking at the collar.

"It's itchy," she complained. "And it's choking me."

Etta muttered something under her breath that Antiope couldn't quite catch, though the irritation came through loud and clear, she thought.

"Diana, we are short for time," Antiope reiterated her earlier point. "It matters not if it is a dress made for a princess. Just find something that is presentable. And do make it the next outfit, please."

Diana sighed. "All right, Antiope." She ducked back into the dressing room, just as Captain Trevor returned. He seemed to have cleaned up his own outfit, the Amazonian general noticed. He was no longer wearing the clothes he'd had on Themyscira, but was now wearing a gray hat with a wide brim, with at least three layers of new clothes as well.

It seemed a little much to Antiope, but she wasn't going to comment on the ridiculousness of wearing so much. There were better battles to fight than that. Besides, it was something she would need to get used to as well.

"Where is she?" he asked, as he came up next to the two women.

Etta just motioned towards the dressing room. "Trying on what one hopes will be her last outfit," she said, making an effort to hide her exasperation.

It was at that moment when Diana stepped out of the dressing room, and Antiope found herself biting back a laugh at the expression on Captain Trevor's face.

Her niece had selected a gray-colored dress and jacket, with a black hat with a medium brim. Her hair was pulled back in a way that Antiope could remember Hippolyta doing before with her daughter.

She looked rather striking for a young woman, and it wasn't hard to figure out that Captain Trevor was very likely thinking along those same lines, judging by how his mouth was hanging open and his eyes had widened like he was seeing her for the first time.

He must have noticed her amused expression, because he then turned towards Etta and said sternly, "Miss Candy, the whole point was to make her_ less_ distracting." He then walked over to a nearby counter and after scanning it a moment, picked up an odd contraption, a pair of circular pieces of glass held together by metal wire. He stepped back over and placed it on her niece's face with a look of satisfaction.

Antiope frowned. While she understood what the man was trying to do, she didn't think it did much to change Diana's features all that much. Judging by the skeptical way that Etta was looking at Captain Trevor, it seemed that she agreed with Antiope.

However, she didn't feel inclined to argue the matter, particularly since they had more important matters to deal with. One stood out to her right away. "Diana, I think you should let Miss Candy take your sword and shield for the time being."

Diana frowned. "But I shouldn't be without them, considering where we'll be going."

Antiope nodded. "True, but I can conceal mine well enough underneath this cape. I am an older looking woman and it won't be questioned if I'm wearing something to protect me from the cooler weather. However, your outfit is not that easy to conceal weapons in Diana. Particularly not a sword and shield," she finished dryly.

Diana frowned, but did seem to be considering her aunt's words seriously. Finally, she handed the two items over to the secretary, who seemed uncomfortable with this interaction, but to do her credit, she agreed to take them to the Captain's office.

"Now, shall we be on our way?" Antiope asked, as she made sure her crown was concealed under the fedora, and refastened her cloak around her shoulders.

"That is a good idea," Captain Trevor agreed.

Diana gave some final admonitions to Etta about taking care of her weapons until she returned, and then started out with Captain Trevor.

Antiope, however, lingered for a moment. "Thank you for putting up with this situation," she said. "I know it was...difficult. And perhaps more than you bargained for."

Etta Candy just shook her head. "Just make sure he doesn't get himself killed and we'll call it even," she replied.

Antiope nodded. "Given his interest in my niece, it is in her interests that I do just that."

Both women were chuckling as Antiope turned and walked away, catching up with her two travel companions in short order.

As she stepped outside "Selfridge's" with them, however, she could feel a few more pairs of eyes watching than there had been earlier. Closer, and closing in.

Her features hardened.

_Not much longer now._

* * *

They had only gotten a few blocks away from the store, heading down a street called Oxford, when Diana felt Steve stiffen next to her. This was soon followed by her aunt's footsteps becoming sharper as they walked.

"What is it?"she asked.

Steve didn't bother to respond, and quietly steered her towards an alley, her aunt following quickly behind.

"Why are we hiding, Steve? Antiope?" she said, now somewhat worried.

"Hush!" her aunt hissed softly.

Steve's spoke just as low, though she could hear the tension in his voice when he replied just as softly, "Come on."

Behind them, a clicking sound was heard. Steve tensed even further, and both Diana and Antiope stilled as a man stepped out of some nearby shadows with one of those projectile weapons pointed at them.

"Captain Trevor," he said, in a very thick-sounding voice, "I believe you have something that is the property of General Ludendorff."

Diana narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as she remembered seeing such a weapon used on Themyscira. And what it had done to her fellow Amazons as well as her aunt. A side-long look at Antiope told her that her aunt recognized it too, judging from the look on her face and how still she'd become.

_Will she be able to help me? _ Diana thought, concerned. If her aunt was remembering how near she'd come to death. then it was possible that would affect her fighting ability. She'd told Diana stories of warriors she'd known who'd had that happen if they'd been injured by a particular weapon. They would falter if they faced that weapon again, often to their detriment.

It was up to her, she realized.

She knew what that weapon could do, so she knew it would be best to wait until she had the perfect opening to act. As the man waved the gun threateningly and moved forward, the three of them backed more into the alley, where there were four more waiting for them. Two of those four also were holding guns.

"Ah, it's the bad guys' convention," Steve quipped.

"Just give us the notebook," the first man snapped.

Instead of doing what he'd been ordered, Steve instead moved in front of Diana, blocking her from the gun pointed immediately in her direction. He was patting at his coat, muttering "Where did I put that thing?"

The next thing Diana knew, he was head-butting their original attacker. She started moving forward, only to have Steve try to stop her, calling out to stay behind him. Just as he said this, the gunman in front of them fired.

Without another word, Diana swung her arm up, not even thinking twice about it. It felt automatic, instinctive somehow, and it stopped the bullet from reaching its target, instead ricocheting off of the bracelet she wore with a loud cracking sound. Steve was staring down at his hand, where a piece of bullet landed in his palm.

Their attackers just stared in shock over what they'd just seen, as did Steve Trevor. Antiope's features, however, sported a small smile, unseen by everyone else.

Steve was the first to break the silence. "Okay, I guess you didn't need to stay back," he said, in a tone of disbelief.

Diana wasn't listening, her senses focused on the men around her. The one who had fired checked his gun and then fired another shot, followed by one of the other gunmen doing the same. Just as quickly as before she lifted up both her arms, and once more both the bullets flew in separate directions.

One of the remaining men yelled and this led to the last man with a gun to start firing along with the other two. Diana just felt herself move swiftly, without thinking and deflecting every bullet. They fired wildly as they became more desperate, but she just spun and each projectile was deflected away. She moved in a blur, not even noticing when her glasses fell off of her face. She felt a sense of exhilaration as she fought, paying almost attention to what was happening around her.

As the sound of the bullets finally stopped, the world began shifting back into focus for Diana, and she became aware of a man with a beard pointing now at Steve. Without even thinking twice, she grabbed the barrel and twisted it up just as he fired. The man then started to reach into his sleeve, but before he could grab whatever he'd been reaching for, Diana hit his head with one of her bracelets, causing him to slump to the ground.

Diana then looked around her, only to find all of their attackers laying unconscious on the ground. Steve stood over two of them, and Antiope the remaining two. Steve was just staring in disbelief at what he'd witnessed. Her aunt was smiling. "Well done, Diana," she said calmly, stepping over the last man with the gun. "That was impressive."

"I'll say," Steve said. He shook his head. "Is there anything else you want to show me?"

Diana just smiled in reply.

* * *

Antiope felt a sense of pleasure as she watched her niece fight, moving with a speed and grace that the Amazonian general had never been able to match in her younger years. A speed and grace that she knew well came from no mortal source.

_You truly are Zeus's daughter, Diana. He would be so pleased to see you coming into your own_, she thought with a sense of pride.

She soon lost herself in her own battle, moving to take down both her opponents with sharp kicks to the head for each of them, stepping on the hand of the remaining gunman for good measure. Once she was sure they were both unable to create more trouble, she turned to see her niece had managed to bring down the man she had been fighting.

She kept half an ear on Captain Trevor's words as she cast a glance around at each of the downed men. They were all still breathing, but they would be unaware of their surroundings for some time, if she was any judge.

It was time to move, while they still had the opportunity.

"We need to go, Diana. Captain Trevor," she stated firmly.

"No," Diana said, just as firmly. "I need to free these men from Ares' control."

"There is no time for that," Antiope said grimly. "We have larger matters at stake now."

"Your aunt's right," Captain Trevor said, just as grimly. "And not only that, we don't know if they have any allies around. Best to leave while they're out of it."

Diana's expression became mutinous. "But..."

"Diana, you can't save everyone," Antiope said, more gently now. _ And some don't want to be saved_, she thought but didn't say aloud. It was a lesson her niece would have to learn for herself. "Our enemies know that Captain Trevor is here, and it is imperative that we get the information to his superiors."

Diana looked torn for a moment, but then nodded. "Very well, but Ares will be made to pay for twisting these men."

Antiope smiled sadly. _Still innocent, but for how much longer?_ "As you say, Diana."

The three of them made their way out of the alley, running into Etta who had seen one of the attackers following them and had come, thinking she could help.

After calming the woman, they began moving away, more quickly than before.

As they departed the battle site, Antiope glanced quickly back, then up at the iron gray sky.

_Soon now_, she thought.

_It will be soon._

* * *

**A/N:** Must say it was quite fun doing research on how the Ancient Greeks viewed dreams along with trench warfare.

And I will say right now that the dream that Antiope had last chapter is indeed significant.


	5. London: War Room

**A/N**: Last update for the next month or two as I focus attention on a collaboration story, also for Wonder Woman. Do enjoy this, and a happy holiday month to all my readers.

* * *

_"They entered the vast edifice with its marble floors and stairways, and domes floating with watery English sunlight, reminding her (Diana) very little of the council chambers back home..."_ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman_ movie novelization

* * *

"How long do you think it will take him?"

Antiope looked over at her niece. After they had fled the alleyway where those men had attacked them, Captain Trevor had insisted on moving at a more rapid pace towards the building he called his headquarters. Once they'd arrived, he'd sent Etta to the rooms he used as his office, and then led she and Diana through the building referred to as the War Office towards a room with a sign over the door reading Assembly Hall. DIana had been fully prepared to push her way in along with Captain Trevor, even after he'd told them to stay outside while he reported in. She had only been stopped by Antiope grasping her arm, and gently reminding her that they couldn't afford to call more attention to themselves, lest they bring Ares' attention towards them before they were ready. She'd acquiesced, but hadn't been happy about it.

To be honest, the length of time he'd been gone was concerning to Antiope as well, but past experience in giving reports made her fully aware that being gone so long wasn't entirely unheard of in particular situations. Situations that had proven to be exceptionally dangerous, as this one was shaping up to be.

"Diana, he needs to let his superiors know he has returned. He will call for us if we are needed."

_Or more specifically, he will call for you, Diana_, she thought wryly. Anyone with eyes and experience could see that the mortal man had started to fall for her niece, However, she wasn't sure if he quite realized this. It was also possible that he did and was simply ignoring the fact. Diana, with her lack of experience, certainly hadn't caught on to his behavior yet. And of course, she was focused on her goal of destroying Ares and "saving" humanity. So focused that she didn't see the way Captain Trevor acted towards her.

Right now, that might well be for the best that Diana remained unaware and Captain Trevor didn't acknowledge his own care for her niece, Antiope believed. Perhaps later, should this all end well, there would be time for them to figure out their feelings towards each other. In the meantime, she would keep her silence in this matter. It was a foolish person who meddled in other peoples' matters of the heart.

Right now, she needed to make sure Diana understood the seriousness of the situation they had landed in.

"Diana, those men who attacked us a few hours ago...," she began carefully.

Her niece looked at her. "You mean the ones infected by Ares?"

Antiope sighed inwardly. Perhaps she should call Diana fixated instead of focused, she thought. "Yes, those men," she said aloud.

"What about them?" Diana asked.

Antiope frowned thoughtfully, as she considered the best way to put the information to Diana. Finally she just decided to go for the simple truth.

"Steve Trevor learned of a very dangerous weapon, Diana. One that can kill a large amount of people with very little effort. What is of greater concern is how those men knew where to find Captain Trevor and what he looked like in order to track him. There was no way for them to be certain that he would be returning. Not if those men who invaded Themyscira were unable to return to their vessel or report in," she finished.

Diana frowned thoughtfully. "Then how did they know, then?"

"There is no way to know for sure, Diana. It could be a traitor from Captain Trevor's side, which was known to happen even in my time," Antiope replied. "It is also possible his enemies could have also just made a lucky guess as to his whereabouts, which also can happen. Either way, Diana, knowledge is power, whether it be in battle or an everyday situation. Captain Trevor's enemies know this as well, and know that their own adversaries would potentially be able to stop them once they have this information in hand."

Diana fell silent, considering this, as she and the elder Amazon watched people pass by. A few glanced at them, but paid them no other mind.

Antiope didn't mind this too much. It made for an interesting change from Themyscira, where everyone knew who each other was. There was no true anonymity there. Even with her brief few hours in this city, she had noticed how easy it was to blend in and pass unnoticed. Likely due to the large amount of people, she suspected. She suspected the novelty would wear off for her eventually, however. Still, she would enjoy it while it lasted. New experiences were always something to savor.

Her niece's voice broke into her musings. "Ares has created a monster with this weapon he's provided the mortals." It was steady, full of conviction, something that Antiope would admire under other circumstances. It proved they had done well in raising Zeus' daughter for the task ahead of her.

And yet at the same time, Antiope found herself wondering now if perhaps Diana had been taught_ too_ well. That in filling her head with the tales of Ares' betrayal, they had neglected to consider how it would color her beliefs concerning humanity.

Antiope frowned. She didn't want to tarnish Diana's rose-colored views on mortals, but at the same time, she didn't want Diana to learn the hard way that not all mortals were good people, that they were as capable of darkness as of light. Ares had corrupted humanity, yes, but he had only brought out the latent darkness that existed.

"You have a great love for mortals, Diana, and I do believe you will thrive in this world once we have defeated Ares," the Amazon general began carefully. "But there is one thing you need to bear in mind always."

"And that is?" Diana looked at her aunt, the features set so much like Hippolyta's that Antiope felt her heart clench at the memory of the sister left behind on Themyscira.

But she allowed no emotion on her face as she responded, "As powerful as the gods were, Diana, even they could not create something from nothing. Zeus created humanity from the dust and clay of the ground, and commanded the very wind to give them breath. The Amazons he created in similar manner, using the clay and shells from the sea bed and shaped us through the waves of the sea itself. He shaped our bodies from the very elements that existed."

Diana nodded. "I know. Mother has told me that story. She also told me how Ares grew envious of the love Zeus had for them and poisoned their minds, corrupting them."

Antiope smiled sadly. "This is true, Diana. But like Zeus, Ares cannot create something from nothing. Everyone carries a kernel of darkness within them Some are fortunate enough that they can go all their lives without knowing of its existence. Others...are not so fortunate. And Ares takes advantage of the discord these particular individuals create."

Diana's brow furrowed in confusion. "Antiope, what are you saying?"

Antiope's expression didn't change as she replied, "I am saying that as much as one would like to believe otherwise, life is never so black and white as it seems. Do not assume that Ares is responsible for everything that goes wrong in this world."

"But he is the god of War. He has to be responsible for this!"

"War and discord strengthen him, Diana," Antiope said, now sharply. "I would say it more likely that this violence is helping him to survive, more than anything else."

Diana's features seemed troubled by her words, but before her niece could make any reply, Captain Trevor appeared in front of them, his expression also troubled.

"It took some fancy talking," he began, "but I was able to convince some of the higher-ups that I could provide witnesses to back up my story."

Diana stood quickly at Captain Trevor's words, but Antiope frowned. "There is more, isn't there?"

"Something like that," Captain Trevor admitted. "Women aren't usually welcomed in the war room during discussions. There was some argument about the idea of letting you both inside once I mentioned that my witnesses were women."

"I see," Antiope replied, noting as she did the anger that appeared on her niece's face. She felt the same anger, but now was not the time to let it show. It wouldn't help their case. "But that you are standing here telling us this indicates that eventually someone convinced them to allow our presence."

Captain Trevor nodded. "Sir Patrick Morgan. He pointed out that since all you and Diana will be doing is providing corroborative testimony to mine, it would be harmless to allow you to speak."

Antiope's frown deepened. Even in her time, women were forbidden to take part in the affairs of men, regardless of what they were. The Atlanteans as well as a few groups of aliens had been the only exceptions to the rule. That a mortal man was standing up to his peers and insisting on their presence was unusual and puzzling,

Still, she couldn't deny some curiosity about how matters concerning battle were handled nowadays, and if they were being allowed to access a room only men could enter, then the opportunity shouldn't be ignored..

She rose to her feet. "Very well. Show us the way, Captain Trevor."

* * *

Antiope felt it the moment she entered the room. A heavy presence, one she hadn't felt in many millennia, but remembered very well.

_Ares...he's here..._

The God of War was _here_, in this building.

And an icy prickle on the back of the Amazon's neck indicated to her that he was observing them.

Her jaw clenched, but she forced her features to remain neutral, refusing to allow Ares any pleasure from her reaction.

It was bad enough that he likely suspected her niece's identity. After all, he knew the name of every Amazon that had ever lived. He would never have heard of one called Diana, and no one had ever been sure if Zeus had let slip any hint of what he'd done before he died. For her part, Antiope found that unlikely. Zeus would never have revealed to his traitorous son that he had created one more weapon to use against him.

And aside from the fact that her niece's name was unique to the Amazons, there was also the matter of that energy that Diana had released during her spar with the Amazonian general. He must have felt that somehow, even if he didn't couldn't pinpoint exactly where it originated from.

In any case, whatever he suspected, it was likely now that he'd had said suspicions confirmed now that he'd seen Diana.

And he would act. Perhaps not now, with so many witnesses present; he would have long ago taken on the guise of a mortal, as she and Diana had, and would not wish to reveal himself prematurely. No, he would wait for a more opportune time.

Keeping her head as still as she could manage, her eyes flicked around the room, trying to see if she could pinpoint where Ares stood. Unfortunately, there were too many others in the room for her to discover his exact location. He was likely counting on that, she realized grimly.

Her attention was soon diverted by the officer (introduced as Colonel Darnell) who had been asking her niece questions concerning the story Captain Trevor had given. The man's gaze was now fixed on her.

So it was her turn to be questioned, then. Very well.

"Madame," the man called Colonel Darnell began. "Please state your name for the record."

Antiope drew herself up straight. "Helena Troy," she stated firmly, knowing it would be safer to give a name that wasn't so obviously from ancient times.

Colonel Darnell nodded. "Miss Troy, Captain Trevor has informed us of your and your niece's involvement in getting him to safety."

"That is correct," Antiope replied.

"Your niece has confirmed Captain Trevor's version of events. I assume you can also vouch for this?"

"Yes," Antiope said clearly.

The colonel nodded once more, then began asking several more questions regarding the finer details of the events. Antiope gamely confirmed what she could, keeping her features straight and her voice steady.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief when it was done, and Captain Trevor led them out of the room after he'd shown them the journal that he'd risked his life for and arranged for a further discussion on it in another part of the building. She had been through debriefings before, and while she felt satisfied that she'd performed well enough, she also had the sinking feeling that Ares hadn't been fooled. Amused, perhaps, but not fooled.

_Soon_, she thought resignedly.

_It will be soon._

* * *

Ares chuckled as he watched the two women leave behind Captain Trevor.

"Well played, Antiope," he murmured as he followed at an easy gait out of the war council.

"Well played indeed."

Unseen by either Amazon, he smirked.

_But it won't be enough._

_Your time is coming._

* * *

**A/N2:** Yes. I did indeed pull the name Helena Troy from the Greek myths, altering it just slightly. ^_^ Didn't remember until after I'd chosen the name that there was a Donna Troy in the Wonder Woman comics. But since that character doesn't exist in the movies yet (and may not), I decided to keep the surname as is.

As for her picking up on Ares where Diana didn't, I figured that given how the Amazons interacted with the gods in the Wonder Woman canon, they would have learned how to pick up on the presence and power of a god. Diana, having been born after their deaths in the movies, would not have been quite as sensitive to that, even with what she contained.


	6. London: Setback

**A/N:** Sorry about the delay. RL got in the way, and there was also some general laziness mixed in there.

* * *

_"This is a terrible idea...We're going to need reinforcements." (Steve Trevor)_ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman movie novelization_

* * *

"This is taking too long."

Antiope shot a sidelong glance towards her niece. "Diana," she began softly.

"No, Antiope!" the Amazonian princess whispered heatedly. "We're supposed to be going to the front to find Ares, but all they are doing is trying to translate a journal."

Antiope heaved an inward sigh, knowing full well that there was no need to go so far, but suspecting strongly that Ares would choke the words in her throat the moment she tried to say a word along those lines.

"The journal will tell them where to look for this weapon, Diana. That is also important. Don't forget, the humans haven't believed in gods for many millennia now. To them, Ares is just a legend, while the poison gas is real."

Diana's features tensed with anger. "I know, but...when we finally have a chance to bring peace to humankind, all they do is ignore us. They've treated us as though our words don't matter, Antiope."

"Men will always believe they know better, Diana," Antiope replied softly. "And sometimes, they actually do. Are they correct in this instance? No. But as I just said, Ares is little more than a story to them, with no basis in fact. We can't just push our way into this."

Diana subsided, but Antiope noted how her niece's hands had clenched into fists and were trembling with suppressed anger. It wouldn't be much longer before she reached the end of her patience, Antiope knew.

She turned her gaze towards the front of the room where they'd been led following their interview. At first, the other officers had wanted to leave them outside while they took the journal to the Intelligence Office. Captain Trevor, however, had insisted on their presence, and was backed up by the man called Sir Patrick Morgan, so they'd been allowed to enter.

After which, they'd been completely ignored for the following two hours. During that time, Antiope had been making great efforts to ignore Ares' presence, while at the same time trying to keep Diana reined in. She could well understand her niece's frustration, though on a different level, knowing Ares was closer than Diana knew, but understanding all too well that revealing him now would not be allowed. Not here, where he could silence her all too quickly.

No, Antiope concluded. Ares intended to choose his moment to strike, Antiope knew. And it would come at a moment Diana least suspected. It was how he operated. It was how he'd been able to strike down so many of his brethren…

How he'd managed to hide his true intentions for so long, hiding behind a mask of affability, never letting anyone see the jealousy and rage simmering within.

The Amazonian general was distracted from her darkening thoughts as movement caught her eyes. Captain Trevor was approaching them with the man called Colonel Darnell. The other man's features were sour, as though he'd eaten something that didn't agree with him.

_Interesting _, Antiope thought, raising an eyebrow. Aloud, she asked, "Is something wrong, Captain Trevor?"

"Our cryptographers haven't been able to translate these notes," Colonel Darnell answered sullenly. "Captain Trevor said you might be able to read these, Miss Troy. Though he wouldn't explain how he knew that."

_Well, that explains the irritation _, Antiope thought with some amusement. No man liked hearing a woman could do something they couldn't. Even in a serious situation like this.

Still, there was no reason to sink to his level, not with so much at stake. "An uncle of mine dabbled in learning various languages," Antiope responded smoothly. "He taught me to read a handful of some of those he was interested in.."

The sour look seemed to drop just slightly. "Huh," was all he replied, however. He handed over the journal. "Well, here you go, then. I should tell you, though, that while our cryptographers weren't able to decipher the notes, they did state that they were written in two separate languages. Couldn't identify them, though."

Antiope took the journal from Colonel Darnell, and began to flip through the pages. As she read, she couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed by how analytical and cold this woman seemed. Doctor Maru seemed to be one of those people who was fully aware of the core of darkness within her, and embraced it entirely. A human with no moral compass whatsoever, who delighted in causing pain.

This was one person Antiope would certainly kill and lose no sleep over doing so.

"I take it you can understand what is written there, Miss Troy?" Colonel Darnell asked now. This time, there was genuine curiosity in his voice.

"Aye," Antiope replied, closing the journal and handing it back to the colonel. "Sumerian and Ottoman. Though how your Doctor Maru learned those particular languages would be beyond me. I would guess she apparently seemed to understand well the possibility that her notes would be found, and took steps to prevent anyone from stealing her work."

"I'm guessing by the look on your face that what she wrote isn't very good news," Captain Trevor said warily.

Antiope's mouth became a thin line. "It isn't, no. She writes of a poison gas she's created. One that can overpower a gas mask." Whatever that was. "Composed of hydrogen.."

"Did she say where she planned to release it?"

The Amazonian general nodded. "The Front, she said."

"Did she say when?"

"No."

Colonel Darnell muttered something under his breath that Antiope couldn't quite catch, but she suspected was not particularly complimentary concerning the doctor.

Captain Trevor now spoke up. "Sir, that is the evidence we need. You have to find out where they're making this gas. Burn it to the ground. Destroy it."

"Likely in Belgium, Trevor. Maru is known to travel with Ludendorff and he was last seen there," Colonel Darnell replied grimly. "But I can tell you right now that you won't get Haig to agree with sending troops over there to do that."

Antiope shot a quick glance over to Diana, who was now staring in utter shock at the man. The rage seemed to have slipped away, but something told her that this wouldn't last long.

Captain Trevor seemed just as startled. "May I ask why, Sir?"

Colonel Darnell's features didn't lose the grim cast as he replied, "While you've been gone, negotiations were begun regarding Germany's surrender. There's also the possibility of an armistice, as you heard when you arrived."

"They were dismissing it, if I recall," the captain replied.

"Yes, but it's still very much on the table, Trevor," the colonel returned. "Which means the bottom line is that Haig won't want to risk jeopardizing the end of the war."

Once more, Captain Trevor seemed disturbed. "Sir, you know what I saw there. Even if Germany does surrender, which they haven't done yet, they could simply stockpile the gas for future use. Or retaliate, if they don't like the terms they're given. I've seen this gas with my own eyes. It will kill everyone, Colonel. Our men and theirs."

"Haig won't agree, Trevor," Colonel Darnell replied, this time wearily. "I believe you, I do. But you know damn well what the general is like. You also know what's said about him."

Antiope frowned, but before she could ask what the colonel meant by that statement, Trevor spoke up once more. "Send me in then, Colonel. Give me logistical support. We can't lose this chance to take out Ludendorff and his operation.."

"You know I have to get permission from the general for such a mission, and you know he won't agree to such a thing, either, Trevor," Colonel Darnell said. "Particularly now, when the end of the war seems close."

Antiope glanced at Diana and saw her features harden. Glancing back at the two men in front of her, she saw Captain Trevor's features stiffen in resolution. "It doesn't have to be an official mission, Sir," he said quietly, but no less firmly than he had before. "You know we won't have another chance at this."

Colonel Darnell seemed for a moment like he might refuse, Antiope thought. And to an extent, she could understand it. Rogue elements introduced into a situation, particularly one as volatile as this one was, could end up creating more problems than they solved. But at the same time, with a very real threat in existence, options could be very limited.

To do him credit, though, Colonel Darnell seemed to realize this, because he let out a heavy sigh. "Trevor, if you get caught, you know I won't be able to help you."

"I know, Sir." His words were hard, resolved. Antiope felt her respect for Captain Trevor shoot up another notch.

Colonel Darnell shook his head, finally seeming to understand there would be no changing the other man's mind. "Just be careful out there, Trevor," he stated. "Ludendorff isn't known for being merciful."

"I will, Sir."

Colonel Darnell started to turn away, pausing only to say, "I'll tell Haig I dismissed you so that you could escort these women home, and advised you to take a few days to recuperate from the mission. With the talks underway, he won't question that too closely."

"Thank you, Sir," Captain Trevor replied.

For a moment, it seemed to Antiope that the colonel wanted to say something more, but he just shook his head one more time and walked away.

As he departed their company, the Amazonian general turned her attention back to Captain Trevor. The man had a pensive expression on his face, and Antiope couldn't quite blame him for that. She suspected he'd been hoping for more support than what they'd gotten.

Unfortunately, that couldn't be helped. Long experience had taught Antiope that sometimes one just had to work with what one had. And at least Captain Trevor's superior had agreed to buy them some time. Time was the most important asset they needed right now.

"That general…," Diana's angry voice broke into Antiope's musings. "That's you leader? How can he behave like that, with so much at stake?" She whirled back to Antiope. "And how could you give back that book? You _know _what's in it!"

"Diana…" It was Captain Trevor who replied. "There was no chance at convincing General Haig to allow us to go, or even send troops. Numbers don't matter to him. The colonel was right to remind me of the fact."

"And right now, the journal is of no use to them either, Diana," Antiope said quietly. "They aren't familiar with the languages, so they won't be able to recreate the gas."

"Not for now!" Diana spoke heatedly. "But what of the future?"

In truth, that worried Antiope as well. There would always be someone who would be willing to create and use such a dangerous weapon. It was inevitable. Unfortunately, it was not something they could do anything about right now. They had another, greater, priority.

"We'll deal with that once we've finished our business at the Front," .Antiope replied, hoping it would be enough to placate her niece. Glancing over to see Colonel Darnell talking with Sir Patrick Morgan and General Haig, she suspected their window of opportunity to leave without notice was fast closing. "And speaking of that, I think it's time we were on our way."

The captain followed her gaze. "I think you're right," he agreed.

The three of them began to head out of the building. As they walked, Diana asked, "So what now?"

The captain did something then which startled both her and Antiope. He grabbed Diana's lasso of Hestia off her belt and wrapped a loop around his wrist and looked straight into her niece's eyes. As the rope began to glow, he spoke:

"I'm taking you to the Front as promised. And we're probably going to die."

He seemed surprised by those last words, and for her part, Antiope couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he spoke them.

Once more, she recalled her dream…

_She is running towards a strange looking craft..._

_"Failure is not an option! We need to stop that plane from taking off!"_

Unaware of her aunt's worry, Diana just smiled slightly and shook her head.

Captain Trevor's surprise also shifted to a slight uneasiness. Before removing the rope from his wrist, he said, "We can't do this alone; we're going to need help.

"And I know just where to get it."

* * *

**A/N2: ** Sorry about no section breaks this time around. Couldn't find a good place to fit them in.


	7. London: Gathering Forces

A/N: Sorry again. Laziness and RL vacation (prep and actually going) along with getting another project worked on and updated delayed me this time. More laziness than anything else. But here it is now after 4 months and I promise not to take as long next time. Thank you for putting up with the delays.

* * *

Some of the dialogue comes from the movie novelization. It will be italicized as used.

_""Sammy." Amused, she quirked a grin. First Etta Candy and now this man. Steve Trevor kept colorful company." _ \- Nancy Holder, _Wonder Woman movie novelization_

* * *

"How... quaint," Diana said, as they approached what Captain Trevor referred to as a "pub", a dingy looking building called The Hangman's Arms. The building stood in what seemed to be a run-down, dingy neighborhood, in what Captain Trevor said was the East End of London.

_ The perfect place to kill someone without being seen _ , Antiope thought wryly. _ Or caught, for that matter. _

Her gaze slipped around, noting the poor dress some of the people seemed to be wearing. Her mouth became a grim line. _ The more things change... _, she thought. Themyscira had no beggars, but Antiope could remember the time before that. Sights like this were little surprising to her, but Diana certainly wouldn't have experienced anything like this before.

Steve Trevor, on the other hand, walked with a confidence that seemed to cause those who were eyeing them with an expression that Antiope didn't care for to glance away. They had traversed a maze of streets and alleys to reach this place, a place that the captain had said some acquaintances of his would be meeting them.

The man in question turned to look at her niece, his expression appearing somewhat sheepish. "I know it doesn't look like much," he admitted, "but given that we aren't going through official channels, this is the best I could arrange."

Diana raised an eyebrow, the expression on her face an extremely doubtful one. "I see," she said. "If this is the best you could arrange, I'd certainly hate to see the worst."

Antiope bit back a wry smile, and cleared her throat. "Well, we won't find out whether or not we will even get any help unless we go inside. Shall we?"

The captain gave her a relieved smile and turned to go in. As Diana moved to follow, Antiope grabbed her arm, causing the younger Amazon to startle slightly. "Antiope...What...?"

The older woman once more refrained from smiling, though she couldn't quite conceal the amusement she was feeling from reaching her eyes. "He is trying, Diana. Give him a chance," she said. "We don't have the knowledge he does, of either the people we're looking for or their abilities. He does, and he has so far kept his word to us."

Diana frowned, then sighed, the frown turning into one of resignation. "I know," she replied. "I just can't help but feel as though we're running out of time. The longer we delay, the more time Ares has to escape."

Remembering the sense she'd gotten of the god in the War Office, Antiope highly doubted that Ares had any intention of escaping. It was more likely that he was refining his plans to include the Amazons' presence, she thought grimly.

She did agree that they were running out of time, however.

"Perhaps," the elder woman answered. "But we are wasting more time standing here." Smiling now at her niece, she continued, "Shall we go in?"

* * *

As Diana walked into the "pub" behind her aunt, she was immediately struck by the odors that reached her nose. They reminded her of the way the horses on Themyscira smelled after a hard ride. There was also a haze in the air which threatened to make her eyes water. The room was also dimly lit and felt close, causing Diana to feel slightly claustrophobic.

A glance at Antiope showed she was similarly affected, but was making a better attempt to school her reactions as they followed Steve through the room towards a knot of people in a back corner.

She increased her speed, moving as quickly as she could to catch up with Steve. As she reached his side, she asked with a hint of disbelief in her voice, "These people you say we are meeting...Can they be trusted?"

Steve smiled slightly ruefully. "I had a feeling you'd ask," he said. "I know this seems like an odd way to get help, but when the legal channels are closed off, sometimes places like these are all you have to go to. But to answer your question, I trust them enough to know they'll get what we need."

Diana wasn't sure she liked the sound of that, but as Antiope said, Steve hadn't led them wrong yet, even if she was finding this world very difficult to understand.

"Are they good men?" she asked, ignoring the elbow nudge that Antiope, who had caught up, had given her.

_"Relatively,"_ Steve replied.

Diana was about to question him about his answer once more, but her aunt gripped her arm tightly at that moment. She shot an irritated glance at the elder Amazon, only to see a calm, cool mask on Antiope's face.

She'd caught a glimpse of that look on the beach of Themyscira just a few days before, as her aunt charged into battle with the men and their projectile weapons. The same look that Antiope had worn whenever she trained her to fight.

Diana subsided, understanding full well what that gaze meant.

Her aunt was preparing to go to war.

Schooling her own features, Diana focused on Steve as he led them towards a group of men dressed in khaki-colored uniforms. In the middle of the crowd stood a man with light brown skin and large dark eyes, framed by thick eyebrows as dark as his eyes. As they got closer, Diana could hear him regaling the others with a story.

"_In Africa, gentlemen_," he was saying, "_we had no such luxuries…" _

The sound of laughter very nearly drowned out the man's words, though it didn't sound derisive, judging by his audience's expressions.

Steve grinned and stepped forward as the speaker went on. _ "But the luxuries we have now...It's like we can't stop making money. My uncle the prince and I would keep it all, but we want to extend the opportunity to a few good soldiers…" _

"Of course you do," Steve broke in now. As the speaker's expression suddenly soured at the interruption, the captain went on with an even wider grin, "Might I borrow a moment of your time, Prince Madras Angoras Cashmere?"

To Diana, it looked as though the other man wanted to refuse, but seemed to realize doing so would simply inconvenience him further, as he put another smile on his face and politely excused himself from the group and allowed himself to be led away by Steve.

Diana started to follow, pausing only when she heard her aunt chuckle and looked over.

Catching her niece's glance, Antiope smiled and replied, "Let's just say I begin to understand why the captain said 'relatively' in response to your question."

In spite of herself, Diana also chuckled. "You think he'll help?" she asked softly, as she watched Steve try to smooth over the man's irritation.

"He may," her aunt replied thoughtfully. "It may depend on how upset with the good captain ruining his deal that he is." She looked at Diana again, her gaze sharp. "But we won't know until we go over there. So shall we?"

Diana nodded, and she and her aunt walked over to the two men. Both seemed to be having a heated, though whispered,. Argument.

An argument that halted abruptly as the unknown man caught sight of them. His eyes widened and he let out a low whistle.

Glancing back at Steve, he said, "Goodness. Where _ did _ you find these masterpieces of women, Steve?"

"Long story, which I'll tell you later," Steve replied laconically. "Diana, Antiope, allow me to introduce you to Sameer."

"Call me Sammy, please," the now-named Sameer replied, grinning widely. "And the pleasure is all mine." He made a slight bow.

Diana couldn't help but be charmed slightly by this individual. Her aunt also seemed to be pleased, she thought, noting the twinkle she saw in Antiope's eyes. "Sammy it is, then," she said, showing her amusement at the man's words. "And how do you know Steve?"

As Sammy seemed about ready to reply once more, the sound of a large crash followed by raised voices at the front of the pub cut off whatever he'd been about to say. Turning her head towards the front, Dana saw two men standing up by an overturned table, the drinks they'd been having now spilled onto the floor. They seemed to be having a heated argument.

Steve also glanced up front, frowned, then gestured for them to follow him over to a quieter corner, where a handful of the tables were empty. Once they had gotten to a safe distance from the crowd, he said, _ "Sammy's a top undercover man. He can talk the skin off a cat in as many languages as you." _

Diana was skeptical. "Really?" she asked in Spanish. "I find that hard to believe."

Sammy grinned wider and took up the challenge. In the same language, he replied, "I assure you he is not lying."

Antiope laughed. "Well done," she replied in Swahili. "However, I can play that game, too."

"So you can," Sammy said, also in Swahili, with a twinkle in his eye. "And I find myself impressed."

"But what about Ancient Greek?" Diana stated, speaking that very tongue, a smirk on her face. "Can you speak that?"

Sammy blinked, briefly stunned into silence. Then he laughed. "I concede defeat," he said blithely. "There is no shame in losing to such a pair of such beautiful women."

Steve smirked now. "Now that you're done showing off, is Charlie here?"

"He is," Sammy replied, a still amused tone in his voice, and gestured to the arguing men up front.

Steve glanced over at them and frowned briefly as the more muscular man started driving the smaller, scrawnier one to the ground. "Ah," he replied "I assume he's being a distraction for our chat, then?"

"Actually, he's more than likely just shot off his mouth again," replied Sammy. "I don't believe he's seen you yet."

"Which one is this 'Charlie'?" Antiope asked. "The one who is handling himself well, or the one who isn't?" She raised an eyebrow as she spoke, with a glance back at Steve.

Sammy chuckled. "Which one would you place money on?"

"The one who is handling himself well," Diana replied at the same time her aunt answered, "The one who isn't."

Steve looked as startled as Diana felt as he asked, "How did you figure that one out?"

"I'm quite familiar with the notion of intelligence gathering, Captain Trevor," Antiope replied dryly. "In my experience, those who seem weak are usually the ones who are underestimated and thus most likely to get the information or whatever else is needed. The ones who draw attention, like the larger man over there, are more likely to fail."

Sammy grinned even wider than he had earlier. "I like you even more now," he said to Antiope gleefully. "Marry me?"

There was a playful smirk on Antiope's face as she looked back at the con man. "I'm afraid I'm already taken," she replied, a tinge of amusement in her voice.

"Ah, you wound my heart," Sammy said, still grinning as he laid a hand on his chest. "Well, do allow me to say that whoever they are, I will consider them very lucky indeed to have such a clever, observant woman as their partner."

Diana just shook her head as her aunt nodded. "He does like to lay it on, doesn't he?" she murmured to Steve.

Steve looked as though he couldn't decide to be amused or irritated. "Sammy is always like this," he agreed. "Though I do think your aunt has impressed him. He wouldn't respond like that otherwise."

It then seemed to sink in what Antiope had said exactly, as a somewhat startled expression appeared on Steve's face. "She was just joking, right?" he asked Diana cautiously.

Diana was quiet for a moment, stunned by the sudden change in his demeanor towards the elder Amazon. "Is it really that important for you to know?" she returned lowly, a sharp edge to her voice.

Steve just blinked at Diana, then at Antiope. "No," he admitted finally. "I just wasn't expecting to hear that, is all. Probably shouldn't have been surprised, considering…" His voice trailed off and he sighed. "It doesn't bother me, and I do apologize if I offended you," he said. "It's just that such relationships are frowned upon by a lot of people."

Diana just stared at him, puzzled by the statement. "I see," she replied, although she really didn't understand what he was getting at.

Steve smiled a little wearily as he seemed to catch her confusion. "I'll explain later," he said. "Let's go pull Charlie out of that mess he's in, shall we?"

* * *

"You're doing what?!" the man called Charlie asked in a tone of disbelief.

Antiope, leaning back in her chair and observing the conversation, could well understand the man's shock. After separating him from his opponent, they'd all joined him at his table after the larger man had decided he didn't like his odds and left. After sitting down, Diana had begun asking how Charlie could help them when he was, as she saw it, physically unable to hold his own. She'd then been told that he was a sniper, someone who killed from long range.

Diana had accepted that quickly enough. Likely she had remembered the lesson that Antiope had told her long ago, that while some cultures believed in honorable warfare, the reality was often very different as both sides would resort to whatever tactics they believed would help them win. Some were more unsavory than others. She hadn't liked hearing that at the time, and while she did accept the man's words, she made it clear she still felt it to be dishonorable.

Antiope agreed, for her own part, but even she couldn't deny that battles often made it very hard to hold on to one's honor. Particularly when one was fighting for their own survival.

She suspected Charlie agreed somewhat with that, but was every bit as realistic as Antiope was, judging by his reply: _ "Don't get paid for honor." _

The lively little man called Sammy had then asked Captain Trevor what the job was that he needed them for. Steve had then replied with the length of time he'd need them, two days, and that they needed passage to a place called Belgium as well as supplies.

Both the other men had teased the captain about what she suspected was hazard pay, judging by the situation they were being asked to walk into.

The good captain had then admitted that he couldn't reimburse them, and tried playing on their goodwill.

Sammy had then asked both she and Diana for a picture of them as payment. Antiope had felt a sliver of amusement at the request, and likely would have agreed to it, even knowing what she and Diana were planning to do.

Diana, however, had quickly put paid to that notion by informing Sammy that he wouldn't need the picture, as they would be accompanying them.

Leading to Charlie's startled reaction, matched up by a look of shock on Sammy's face.

Sammy looked back at Steve. "Is she serious? She can't be serious, Steve."

Captain Trevor looked a little sheepish as he replied, "That's the job. Dropping them both off at the Front."

"That's no place for a lassie," Charlie said nervously. "And I don't want to get killed trying to keep them from getting killed."

Captain Trevor smiled wryly now. "I know you won't believe me when I say this, but trust me, they know how to handle themselves. You won't need to worry about them."

Sammy opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he would have said was cut off as the door of the pub slammed open and the fighter from earlier returned, this time carrying one of those projectile weapons anda handful of other men alongside him. He stalked over to their table and pointed the gun at Charlie.

But he never got the chance to fire it, as at that point Diana just grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, forcing it out of his hand. She then quietly stood up, lifting the man as she did, and threw him across the bar. He crashed into a table and slumped to the floor, unconscious. His friends all scattered quickly, not wanting to suffer the same fate.

Both Charlie and Sammy were stunned. Sammy was the first to speak.. _ "I am both frightened and aroused, _" he stated, in a tone of awe.

_ "When aren't you?" _ Charlie retorted, though with a good natured sound in his voice. He looked over at Antiope. "I suppose you can do that, too?" he asked.

Antiope smirked, "Who do you think taught her that?" she replied archly.

"Definitely aroused," muttered Sammy. "I repeat," he said more loudly, "your partner is very lucky to have you." He picked up his glass and motioned it in both Diana and her direction.

Antiope nodded, understanding the gesture for what it was, one of respect. Meanwhile, Charlie had given his own nod at Diana, though with a hint of bemusement, and took the weapon from her and put it in a bag he had with him.

"Told you so," Captain Trevor replied, slightly smug.

"So you did," Sammy agreed. "And I once more concede defeat gladly."

It was at that point the pub door opened once more. Glancing over towards the door, Antiope spotted the woman they had met earlier, Etta. She was followed by a tall man who seemed oddly familiar.

The man then glanced their way, and the moment his eyes landed on Antiope and the rest of the small group, the older Amazon felt her blood run cold. Once more the oppressive feeling she'd felt in the War Office came over her and she knew. She _knew_ who he was.

_ Ares… _


End file.
